Patient participation in decision making about care - The cancer patient'spoint of view

The purpose of this study was to find out how cancer patients perceive pati ent participation in decision-making and to see which factors in their view facilitate and restrict participation. Data were collected in focus group interviews with 25 patients, most of whom had breast cancer. Data interpret ation was based on the method of qualitative content analysis. The results showed that patients, nurses and physicians all play a part in terms of how patients participate in decision-making. Patients defined part icipation in decision-making in terms of asking questions, obtaining/provid ing information and choosing from/presenting different alternatives. Among the Factors that were thought to promote participation in decision-making w ere the patient's activity, the presence of a primary nurse/physician, the encouragement of nurses and physicians to participate, the treatment of pat ients as equals, and nurses and physicians having enough time for patients. As for factors hindering participation in decision-making, reference was m ade to patient ignorance, physical and mental imbalance and shyness on the part of the patient. Obstacles to participating in decision-making that ori ginated in the nurses and physicians were the tendency for them to treat pa tients as objects, to fall in a routine, problems with information dissemin ation and lack of time.